ESALC Training Programme
We are really pleased with how our 2021 training programme is shaping up. It has been great to see so many attendees at many of our online sessions. We are now running training sessions in the following areas: New/Refresher Councillors, Chairman, Planning, Finance, Social Media and New Clerks. We have also run a bespoke Time Management course as well as one on Elections, and are due to hold a session on Leadership and Team Management. We run these sessions purely for the benefit of you, our member Councils, so your feedback is always valued. It also goes without saying that we are happy to create a bespoke course for your Council should you require it, so please do not hesitate to get in touch for any training needs. All event dates can be found on our website and these are regularly sent via email, but for more information please contact Emily on admin@esalc.co.uk
Project management
If you have any projects that require skilled management at very reasonable cost, may we introduce you to Dee Thornton. Dee has a background with Capita, the NHS and the water industry and has just successfully completed multiple projects with a local council in West Sussex.
Dee can be contacted at deethornton@btinternet.com
Clerks Forum
Our first Clerks Forum of 2021 was a great success, with over 30 Clerks attending from East Sussex. Ian Davison provided some useful content for us and it was a perfect chance for Clerks to get together (albeit virtually!) and share problems as well as solutions. Our next Clerks Forum will take place on Zoom on 9 September at 10.30am so please add this date to your diary! Emily will send out the Zoom link nearer the time.
Clerks Academy
It seems to be common knowledge now that Clerks are in short supply and therefore high demand at present. At the time of writing, we are currently advertising 7 vacancies within East Sussex. You know what the job entails so if you know anybody looking for a career change and you think they may be suitable then please put them in contact with us to discuss further. We are still exploring the idea of a Clerks Academy but any suggestions on how to attract new Clerks are always welcome!
Clerks Directory
It has become apparent that whilst a fulfilling and enjoyable role, it can be slightly isolating if always working from home. We are therefore in the process of putting together a Clerks Directory (coined by one of our new Clerks!) which will contain the names and contact details of every Clerk within East Sussex. It will be broken down by District and hopefully give you a better idea of who you are working alongside and who you can contact if you need any help or advice, or perhaps just to chat to someone who understands the highs and lows of the job!
PCC Focus Groups
You may be aware that for the past two years an exercise is repeated every 6 months where towns and parishes are approached to gauge views on how policing in an area has improved or deteriorated in the preceding 6 months. This creates an opportunity for Councillors and Clerks to identify priority issues in their community to be fed back to the Chief Constable and the PCC. The key elements that emerged in East Sussex were speeding, visibility, feedback from the police, drug use and anti-social behaviour, as well as how to make the right call. The next set of focus groups will be held in the Autumn of this year.
The Council and the Environment
Are we doing all that we can to reduce our carbon footprint and setting a good example for our residents? Parish and Town Councils have a responsibility to lead by example and promote the benefits of reducing our carbon footprint. If it hasn’t been done already, then adding an agenda item to discuss the topic and pinpoint some key areas you wish to focus on could be a great start. This could include looking at your assets (office space, village hall etc) – could solar panels be suitable? How about a switch from oil or gas to an air source heat pump? Are government schemes being promoted to parishioners? Easier ways to reduce carbon footprint could involve not sending invoices or letters by post. Do staff commute to the office? If so, could cycling/walking be encouraged or incentivized, or more home working? Just a few ideas but if we all make small steps then we can achieve big things! If anyone else has any helpful tips then please feel free to share.
Finally, we are always on the lookout for any interesting news from our parishes that they might wish to share with others. If you have something that can be published in our next Newsletter, please contact Emily on admin@esalc.co.uk